Office Clerks, General

Overview

Office Clerks, General has a national median salary of $45,010 per year, with -6% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Perform duties too varied and diverse to be classified in any specific office clerical occupation, requiring knowledge of office systems and procedures. Clerical duties may be assigned in accordance with the office procedures of individual establishments and may include a combination of answering telephones, bookkeeping, typing or word processing, office machine operation, and filing.

Work Values

• Relationships
• Support
• Independence

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Operate office machines, such as photocopiers and scanners, facsimile machines, voice mail systems, and personal computers.
• Answer telephones, direct calls, and take messages.
• Communicate with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, take orders, and address complaints.
• Collect, count, and disburse money, do basic bookkeeping, and complete banking transactions.
• Complete and mail bills, contracts, policies, invoices, or checks.

Work Activities

• Working with Computers
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Getting Information
• Performing Administrative Activities
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Processing Information
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Detailed Work Activities

• Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a high school diploma or equivalent.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Office Clerks, General:

Video Resources